“We have to collectively look at the club’s model,” said Sligo Rovers long-serving chairman Tommy Higgins at the club’s annual general meeting on Tuesday. “There are headwinds ahead.”
Higgins added: “I don’t want to appear negative, but there’s trouble down the road if we don’t address it.”
The immediate possibility is that one of the two remaining member-owned models in the League of Ireland Premier Division will turn to private investment, similar to Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne, or a multiclub model takeover as has happened at Drogheda United under the Trivela Group and Waterford with the Pilley family.
Bohemians remain a solid example of a fan-controlled club holding its own in a time when millionaires and even billionaires are investing in Irish football.
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Bohs published a profit of €1.5 million in their 2025 accounts, largely due to jersey sales that include a partnership with Oasis, while Sligo were commended at their annual general meeting (agm) for losing only €45,000.
Wonders are also being worked on the pitch with John Russell’s side winning three straight matches in April over Bohs, Waterford and Dundalk, in advance of tonight’s trip to Drogheda.
What makes Sligo’s current standing of seventh in the Premier Division so impressive is that Russell’s assistant coach Ryan Casey admitted to the membership that Guinean striker Mai Traore’s signing in January to cover Owen Elding’s move to Hibernian has not worked out, with the striker left out of the starting line-up in recent weeks.
Sligo hope that a budget of €2.6 million will be enough to avoid relegation to the First Division, never mind spending enough to secure European football next season, according to reporting by The Sligo Champion sports editor Jessica Farry.
The Sligo members are now forced to consider the future direction of the club despite Uefa solidarity payments taking a giant leap from €93,000 to €386,711, just as their volunteers’ heroic fundraising dipped from €532,466 to €486,804.
It can always get worse. Waterford are facing almost certain relegation even before a ball is kicked over a hectic May bank holiday weekend, when they travel to Tallaght tonight before hosting Dundalk on Monday. Still searching for a win from 12 outings, they are eight points behind ninth-placed Drogheda despite their English owners pouring €3.8 million into the club over the past 24 months.
Even Shamrock Rovers could not turn a profit last year despite banking close to €6 million in European prize money, as their recent accounts revealed a loss of €469,973.
Stephen Bradley’s men will hope to remove St Patrick’s Athletic from the top of the table by taking six points off Waterford and Drogheda in two home ties over three days.
Stephen Kenny’s St Pat’s have a tougher challenge with games out west in Galway and at the Showgrounds, which the Sligo agm also confirmed is due for reconstruction from February 2027.
Elsewhere, Bohs welcome Derry City to Dalymount Park for a meeting between fourth and fifth, while Dundalk are well positioned to heap more pressure on Shelbourne manager Joey O’Brien. Despite significant investment in the squad, Shels are having a nightmare season, lying eighth in the division on equal points with Drogheda in the relegation playoff spot. Last year’s European nights must seem like a distant memory for the Tolka Park regular.
League of Ireland Premier Division, Friday (7.45 unless stated)
- Drogheda United v Sligo Rovers
- Dundalk v Shelbourne
- Galway United FC v St. Patrick’s Athletic
- Bohemian FC v Derry City, 8pm
- Shamrock Rovers v Waterford FC, 8pm
